When a too-tight shoe causes a full tantrum for the little child in this picture book, it leads to screaming, flopping on the floor even if the child doesn’t really want to. Perhaps they will just live on the floor forever. They refuse to put on the shoe, hate every shoe and throw the shoe, and then their mother loses her temper too, and gets the shoe and everyone apologizes for the yelling. Then, it’s time for hugs and knowing that nothing, even a shoe tantrum, will change their love for one another.
Fogliano captures the entire life of a tantrum in this clever picture book about modern parenting. The voice, using second person, works really well here so that a small child listening to the book hears the love throughout. I particularly appreciate that the mother loses her temper too, as one does, and there is no shame, just apologies and moving on. The illustrations by Frazee are done in her signature style. Here, she plays with color seeping away from the page as the tantrum rages, only to return to rich color as it resolves. The twist at the end is a delight too.
A terrific read for tantrum-prone toddlers and parents. Appropriate for ages 2-5.
The Sweater by Larissa Theule, illustrated by Teagan White
Publisher: Viking Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: February 10, 2026
Reviewed from Edelweiss e-galley
ISBN: 9780593528945
When Holly the Raccoon finds a little bird who seems to be needing some care and shelter, she lets him find his own spot and then heads off to make the rounds. Everyone gave what they could and then Holly headed home to knit a gift to welcome the bird to the community. The next morning, snow came and the sweater that everyone had contributed to fit the little bird perfectly. Everyone helped him shore up his home to keep the wind and snow out. Soon all of the animals were forced to take shelter for the winter in their various dens and homes. Then one morning, the little bird knew exactly what he could share with them to give his thanks: his voice.
This book could have been overly sweet but manages to not be thanks to its focus on giving and community and sharing the fact openly that life can sometimes be hard and that support from others can be helpful if done with care. The text is filled with small touches like the various small items donated and how each animal spends their winter hours in their dens. The art picks those details up and creates a vibrant community of animals who all support one another. They are a delight of color and cozy feels.
A book to snuggle up with. Appropriate for ages 3-6.
Rita was so bored. She was too bored to read or draw or think. She tried to surprise herself in the mirror and stretch so far that she could reach the top of her door. She couldn’t do either of those. Nothing else worked either. Rita wondered how many other people in the world were bored too. Perhaps, they could all get onto a bus that would take them to a special place just for bored people. Rita imagined that the bored people would fill up like balloons from everyone yawning so much and float into the sky. In the sky, they discover an island below them that is interesting and manage to land there. It’s boring there, but people start to invent things to do. Even Rita does. But that’s when her Mom calls and Rita might just be too busy to be bored now.
A playful yet wise look at boredom and how it can get your mind going in new directions that would not otherwise be explored. Rita and her boredom is itself a funny take filled with yawns, desperation and malaise. Her wild imaginative musings take the book in a new and colorful direction. The illustrations in the book work to show just how normal and dull Rita’s room and house are. They adjust beautifully as her imagination begins, the dull colors steadily changing.
Just the right book for kids who could use a little boredom. Appropriate for ages 3-5.
Billy was having a sad day. His friend Hippo thought he knew exactly what Billy needed. Dressing up! Billy tried to explain that it wasn’t helping, but Hippo had another idea. Perhaps dancing in the cherry blossoms or being up high in a tree. Billy tried again to explain. Hippo instead headed for a pirate ship but Billy felt seasick. Maybe magic carpets? Perhaps a party? Billy finally told Hippo that he just wanted Hippo to listen to him. So what did Hippo do next? Exactly that.
Evans builds up the tension as Hippo ignores Billy’s needs again and again. Using more and more outrageous responses that all seem to lead to costume changes, Hippo is invested in using fun to make (perhaps force) Billy to feel happy again. When the tension breaks, the best part is that Hippo is right there for Billy, creating and holding space for his feelings, not interrupting and offering a hug at just the right time. The art in this picture book has a marvelous timeless feel as does Hippo and his wild distractions. The pair together on a couch under a fuzzy blanket is sure to give even the saddest among us a little smile.
Get distracted by Hippo, stay for the heart-felt connection. Appropriate for ages 3-5.
A small cat needs all the parts of its body, including a tail if they are willing to stand still to get one. A small cat needs to be able to run away and come back with a mouse. A small cat needs to eat, needs a place to have privacy. She needs to get wet in the rain, then protected from it. Perhaps a room with walls to stop the wind, and a window to watch the birds. She needs a door to wait at for someone to come home and hold her close.
There is so much charm in this Russian picture book that shows empathy and warmth for the small cat throughout. The book never veers into sentimentality, instead focusing on what the cat needs to survive and thrive in a cold and wet world. The text is lovely with moments of humor that will invite children to linger with this small cat. The illustrations are done in acrylic paint, watercolor pencil and digitally. They have a whimsical quality to them that matches the text, filled with softness even when dark and rainy.
A small delight of a picture book. Appropriate for ages 3-5.
When Nuha visits Oman with her mother, she isn’t sure that she’s going to like it at all. Her grandmother feels like a stranger since they haven’t seen one another for three years. When Nuha accidentally leaves her favorite doll behind, her grandmother takes her to the souk to see if they can find a new doll together. Nuha isn’t thrilled to go and rejects the first dolls they find since they don’t have golden hair like her favorite doll. But soon she finds herself drawn into the souk, tasting some food, getting henna, making music, and watching the sun set over the sea. Nuha just might be ready for a brand new doll who looks like her and her grandmother.
This picture book is will speak to every child visiting a forgotten grandmother after some time away. Jadda’s patience with her reluctant granddaughter is beautifully shown and Nuha’s changing attitude happens organically and is very believable. Readers will also get to glimpse a souk and Akbari shares many of the sensory experiences to be had there. The illustrations are bright and friendly, filled with beautiful fabrics and colors of Oman.
A book worth visiting. Appropriate for ages 3-5.
Mungo on His Own by Matthew Burgess, illustrated by Julie Benbassat
Publisher: Clarion Books
Publication Date: January 27, 2026
Reviewed from Edelweiss e-galley
ISBN: 9780063216716
Mungo the fox cub is still hungry after dinner, so he asks his mother if he can go out in the dark and go to the berry bush. This would be the first time he ever foraged on his own before. It was a windy night and sometimes the bushes looked like big animals. He had to cross the river using slippery stepping stones, and oops he was suddenly all wet. Then there was the road to cross with its large beasts that roared past. Hearing a frightening noise, Mungo hid in a hollow tree. He thought about going back home but then remembered all that his mother had taught him and started using his nose. He reached the berry bush when it started to snow, making his trip back magical.
This story will inspire children to head on their own adventures with their parents’ blessing. It is particularly important that Mungo faced not only imagined dangers but real ones like cold river water and cars. The mix of the two makes the book all the more effective as does Mungo’s mixed success at the variety of challenges that face him. It’s not perfect but he’s successful indeed. The illustrations celebrate night in the woods, offering just the right amount of darkness lit effectively by Mungo’s own red coat. They are a delightful mix of cute animals and potential danger.
A grand adventure with a sweet ending. Appropriate for ages 3-5.
Suuban woke up and checked to see if her front teeth were loose, but they didn’t wiggle at all. Her mother wouldn’t let her herd the goats by herself until she lost her front teeth, probably four more months from now. Time passed slowly, but eventually four months passed and Suuban had practiced taking care of the goats and sheep in their yard. One of her teeth was still in her mouth, so Suuban solved it herself using a butting goat. Now she was ready! Suuban headed out to the termite mound, the farthest she was allowed to go. She kept a lookout for danger but eventually drifted off to sleep. Luckily, she woke up in time to save her baby goat from a wily fox. What will Suuban do next?
Set in the Somalian desert among the nomadic tribes, this picture book shows a different way of life than we have in America. The book shows the respect Suuban has for her parents, following their rules for what she is allowed to do. Yet she is still a child, learning from her mistakes and choices. The book takes its time as Suuban must wait for her teeth to loosen, sharing patience with the reader. The illustrations are key to understanding the lifestyle of the nomadic people, from their movable homes to their herding animals. It is captured with respect and beauty.
Patience, responsibility and a glimpse of a different way of life. Appropriate for ages 3-5.
In St. Paul, Minnesota, there was a blue house that was loved. The two-story house was a duplex where the first floor was rented to Hmong refugees. The house was rented by the narrator’s aunt and uncle and was not big enough for their family. Two cousins had to sleep on the unheated porch where their wet hair froze in the winter. The bedrooms were filled with others, sleeping three and four to a room. The narrator’s favorite place was the back porch where her aunt breastfed the baby and the cousins played and fought. It was the place they learned about their new country while also keeping Hmong traditions close. It was a special house filled with memories.
As always, Yang’s writing is a gorgeous combination of frankness and found beauty. Her ability to paint a vivid picture of the house using small details bring the entire book to life. It’s those small moments that make a life, a house and a family and the book shows that so touchingly. Yang also speaks to the importance of a home for a refugee family newly in America and what it meant to have the space however crowded and cramped. Shin’s art is a lovely mix of architecture and people, showing both the house and the family with clarity and joy.
A journey into refugee memory. Appropriate for ages 4-8.
River is Muscogee and lives on a reservation in Oklahoma. He has many aunties who appear throughout the year. Using repeating language to introduce each auntie, the book celebrates the skills and efforts of each of them. Auntie Abby helps with planting the garden. Auntie Meg takes River fishing for catfish. Auntie Dana brings pumpkins in the fall. Auntie Patrice teaches beading. Other aunties share Muscogee history and traditions or teach in school. As River welcomes his new little sister, he knows first that the aunties are coming!
Smith captures the beauty of community in this picture book about living on a reservation where not only Native people live but others of different backgrounds, all of whom can be aunties. In her Author Note, she explains that aunties can be relatives but don’t have to be. Aphelandra’s illustrations are done in ink, gouache and PhotoShop. They are a delightful mix of deep rich paint, cleverly drawn faces and incredible warmth.
A joyous look at Muscogee community. Appropriate for ages 3-6.
Olivia tries to invite her friends to her neighborhood block party, but one girl explains that her mother doesn’t think Main Street is safe. Olivia tells her mother about what happened and then watches as the neighborhood they are driving through changes from large homes to the tighter urban Main Street neighborhood. When she explains to a neighbor that she doesn’t want to live there any more, Ms. Effie tells her that the first time she heard that Main Street wasn’t a good neighborhood was when the bank refused their mortgage. The Black neighborhood banded together, people got second jobs, and everyone learned how to save. Ms. Effie shared a map of the city with red lines around the “rough” neighborhoods and blue and green in the wealthier white neighborhoods. Through the conversation Olivia learned that it’s important not to believe what people say and to celebrate her community.
I haven’t seen any other picture book take on the subject of redlining, a process that devalues Black neighborhoods and impacts overall investment in them. Here the subject is explained in a way that young children will understand, both in fear of the dangers of those neighborhoods and in a celebration of the community that continues. The facts about redlining are shared openly and clearly. The illustrations help emphasize what lack of investment does and also how vibrant a community can be despite those systemic abuses.
A look at a complex socio-economic process in a way children can comprehend. Appropriate for ages 5-8.
Under One Roof by Miranda Paul and Baptiste Paul, illustrated by Christopher Silas Neal
Publisher: Clarion Books
Publication Date: February 3, 2026
Reviewed from Edelweiss e-galley
ISBN: 9780358576594
Told in rhyming couplets, this picture book celebrates all sorts of families and how they get ready for bedtime. Everyone falls asleep under the same roof of night sky, stars and moon. Some families are all together, others are snuggling in pillow forts at grandma’s, some live far apart or have family members who have died. Some stay connected via phones, others via letters. Some had to leave their homes because of storms, others camp outdoors. Some greet new babies, others sleep in their cars. Through it all, the sky remains the roof they are all beneath.
The writing is very inviting with the rhymes serving as a way to tie all the diverse families together into one story. The use of the image of the sky as a comforting roof above all is also very nicely kept as a focus throughout the story. The result is a book filled with warmth and inclusivity. The illustrations echo that same feel as they show diverse families, large and small, nuclear and otherwise experiencing a variety of homes and beds. In their author’s and illustrator’s notes, the creators share their own life experiences moving and changing where they sleep.
The perfect bedtime read for those who travel and those who stay. Appropriate for ages 2-5.
Following up their successful The Three Billy Goats Gruff, comes this rendition of the traditional Rumpelstiltskin tale. A girl grew up in the woods with her father, a poor miller, who loved to exaggerate and tell tall tales. When her father met the king on the road, he explained that his daughter was amazing and could spin straw into gold. The king wanted to meet her and immediately brought her to a room full of straw, saying that she must spin it all into gold or die. That’s when Rumpelstiltskin entered her life and offered her a deal. Day after day, the girl made more straw into gold, ultimately forced to promise Rumpelstiltskin her first child in payment for his help. One final deal allowed her to try to guess his name and she discovers it by seeing him gloating by his fire.
Barnett keeps true to the overall structure of the tale, having the traditional piles of straw, promises to Rumpelstiltskin and guessing of the name. Along the way though, he adds in humorous touches such as the long list of names that the girl guesses, why her name isn’t shared and how very chatty her father is. The book reads aloud beautifully, actually one of the best Rumpelstiltskin versions for sharing aloud. The illustrations switch from rich paintings to ink drawings, moving the story forward and helping with envisioning the tale complete with frog catching.
A great new Rumpelstiltskin version for every library. Appropriate for ages 5-8.
A Ramadan Night by Nadine Presley, illustrated by Asma Enayeh
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Publication Date: January 27, 2026
Reviewed from copy provided by publisher
ISBN: 9781665969338
Join a boy and his father at the beginning of Ramadan as they explore the sensory parts that make up a Ramadan night. The two of them walk to the mosque together in Damascus. They see the lights of the moon and stars above them. Their steps join those of many others as they walk hand in hand. The mosque is filled with laughter and warmth as they ready themselves for prayer. They bow under the mosaic ceiling and the scent of the mosque meets Sami’s nose. The evening ends with food to fill their empty bellies. Then they return home and Sami knows he’s found what makes a Ramadan night special.
Presley uses all the senses to evoke a night in Syria. Readers will feel part of the setting as the streets are explored, the mosque visited and community built. Her writing is rich and descriptive. She lets the elements in the setting tell their story with poetic language. Eneyeh’s illustrations are simple and bold. They share the beauty of Damascus and the community built around Ramadan. Both author and illustrator have lived in Syria and based the book on their memory of Ramadan in the city.
An inviting and richly told story of Ramadan. Appropriate for ages 4-6.
Ojibwe author, Quigley shares the traditional Seven Grandfather teachings in this picture book. Each teaching is accompanied by a creature that symbolizes it. Courage and bravery are like Bear. Thinking of others before yourself, is like Buffalo. Being humble is like Wolf. Through the story, modern Native children are shown, enjoying nature, participating in activism, and connecting with the world around them.
The book speaks directly to the child reading it, using a second person structure. The words are simple and honest, shining on the child and showing them how vital they already are. The book shows that children are valued and their own characteristics live in the Grandfather teachings. The illustrations share the various animals near the children, shining on the page with light.
A quiet and powerful book about self-worth and connection. Appropriate for ages 2-4.
A Good Hide by Karina Iceberg, illustrated by Natasha Donovan
Publisher: Heartdrum
Publication Date: January 13, 2026
Reviewed from Edelweiss e-galley
ISBN: 9780063254930
In Alaska, after a successful moose hunt, the hide is transformed into quality leather by the community. First, Auntie gives a blessing, then everyone helps scrape the hide until hands are raw. Next comes soaking the hide and stretch it in a variety of ways from drumming to pulling. After that everyone pees on it and then another stretch and a soak in the rain. Next brains are used to create goo that is squished into the hide. It is hung over the fire to let the smoke tan it. More rain, more stretching, more pulling it tight. Finally it is ready to be made into new clothing and items for everyone.
Told by an Alaska Native (Aleut-Alutiiq), this picture book celebrates the hard work, effort and community it takes to follow traditional ways of tanning leather. The process has elements that will surprise readers just learning about it, including peeing on the hide and using brain goo. Those parts make the book all the more interesting for young readers. The illustrations, done by a member of the Métis Nation of British Columbia, clearly show the many people who work together on creating leather as well as showing the steps it takes.
A fascinating look at a traditional Native autumn event. Appropriate for ages 4-6.
Stronger Than by Nikki Grimes and Stacy Wells, illustrated by E. B. Lewis
Publisher: Heartdrum
Publication Date: January 27, 2026
Reviewed from Edelweiss e-galley
ISBN: 9780063264755
At 8 years old, Dante isn’t scared of almost anything, except the nightmares that he keeps on having. Dante spends his days outside playing in the Oklahoma countryside. He and his brother long to play Choctaw stickball, but they have to wait for their father to come home and do that with them. Night came and so did the nightmares of footsteps coming up behind him and a voice telling him not to run. To help with the dreams, his mother tells him stories of his ancestors, people who survived the Trail of Tears and the Tulsa Race Massacre. The next day, Dante headed to the library to learn even more about his ancestors and the racism they lived through and survived.
Beautifully told by Grimes in prose that reads more like poetry, this picture book shows the power of learning of one’s ancestors and the strength that can be gained from knowing more about them. It is the story of an Afro-Indigenous child, so Dante learns about Black history and Indigenous Choctaw history and draws strength from both. The illustrations are done in watercolor, focusing on the faces of Dante’s ancestors, the connection with his living family members, and the haunting vision of his nightmare.
A quietly powerful picture book about family history. Appropriate for ages 7-9.
Louisa May Alcott was born into a family very similar to that of Little Women. She had three sisters and they played with the books in her father’s study. The family was poor and moved often. Louisa loved to write in her Imagination Book but her older sisters were already working as domestic servants. When Louisa was twelve, her mother received an inheritance which allowed the family to purchase a new home in Concord, Massachusetts where she met neighbors like Henry David Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson. As they continued to move, one of Louisa’s sisters died and Louisa’s dream of writing seemed far away as she was rejected again and again. It was after her time as a nurse during the Civil War that Louisa found her straight-forward writing style that everyone continues to love in her Little Women.
This approachable picture book biography of the famous author focuses on the parallels between her own life and that of the Marches in Little Women, a perspective that pays off at the end when Little Women is finally published. Alcott’s journey is fraught from the beginning due to poverty and yet she continues to dream of writing, showing a real perseverance as she struggles to find her unique voice. The illustrations are done in a mix of paint, pencil and digital, focusing closely when Alcott’s world begins to draw inward and having wide landscapes at the times of expansive thought and opportunity.
A great picture book biography of a big woman in children’s literature. Appropriate for ages 5-8.
A tall tale based on the life of Zora Neale Hurston takes readers into the life of this renowned author as a small child. Zora was a little girl who didn’t play gently with dolls or tea sets. She was always dirty after a day playing outside, climbing trees. But most of all, Zora was a story teller filling the air around her with tales that she made up on the spot. She dreamed of her stories changing the world and then set out to use her tales to end the local drought. Armed with just a watering can and her imagination, she went around town telling stories. But by the end of the day, there was no water in her can. About to give up, she realized that she had watered a garden with her stories and the drought came to an end as everyone started to use their imaginations together.
This second book in the Small-Girl series is a winner. Young Zora is presented with a huge imagination and a mouth willing to share the stories she creates. She shines brightly on the page, her ideas glowing against the grumpy adults she encounters. The illustrations move from huge suns and moons to fancy parlors to the stories that Zora weaves. The result is a book filled with deep color and sprightly tales.
A clever use of tall tales to speak to the power of stories and one amazing author.
Septima Clark was born in 1898 to a father who had been enslaved and a mother who was raised free in Haiti. Her parents firmly believed in education, getting Septima a real education by trading for lessons. Even as a child, Septima loved to teach others. At age 18, she moved to South Carolina and an all-Black school where she was allowed to teach. She taught children during the day and adults at night. In the 1950s, Septima started teaching at an integrated school for adults, helping people learn to read, write and vote. She worked with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and a team of teachers who helped Black people learn enough to pass the existing voting tests. Septima never stopped teaching and never stopped being the change.
There is something so beautiful about a child raised from poverty and following her own dream of teaching all the way through to its most exultant form, community activism and enabling others to follow their dreams too. Throughout this picture book biography, there is a sense of quiet strength in Clark, leading through teaching, creating change through her work. Dynamically written in poetic prose, the book reads aloud beautifully. The illustrations are oil paintings, capturing Clark from childhood through adulthood with grace and poise.
A force for change and good. Appropriate for ages 5-9.
Part of the I Like to Read collection, this is a very clever beginning reader.. Bug waits patiently for the bus to come, runs to the bus and hops on. Pig runs to the bus and hops on. So does Pup, but Bat doesn’t run or hop. Fox and Hen run to the bus, as does Cat. Slug runs too, but far more slowly than the others. Finally, Skunk runs and hops on the bus. But no one wants to ride with Skunk, not even the driver, except for Bug. But what will they do with no one to drive the bus?
Catrow gives this reader plenty of action built into his simple words and phrases. He keeps the sentences in the book simple and the real story is told in the pictures. The illustrations add a wildness to the title, with their wacky characters, oversized reactions, and the wonderful hops onto the bus by the various animals.
Silly and delightfully odd, this beginning reader stands out from the rest like a skunk on a bus.
Waking Brain Cells 